The first Sikh to become an enlisted U.S. Army soldier in nearly three decades is eager to move on to training as a combat medic and defend his new homeland on the battlefield, reports Daily Mail, London.
'When the bullets begin flying, it doesn't concern anyone what religion you are - I bleed the same colour,' said Simranpreet Lamba, 26, after his graduation ceremony from basic combat training.
Sikhism, a 500-year-old religion founded in India, requires its male followers to wear a turban and beard and keep their hair uncut. Army policies since 1984 had effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting by barring those items.
But Lamba was granted a rare exception because he has skills the Army wants - the Indian languages Hindi and Punjabi.
Before him, two Sikhs joined the Army as medical officers earlier this year. But Lamba is the first enlisted man since the policy barring religious articles of clothing.
Lamba said his black turban, full beard, unshorn hair and religious beliefs posed no problems during his ten weeks of training.
During training, he wore a camouflage turban under his Kevlar helmet.
He used petroleum jelly to get a tight grip between his beard and gas mask, and was able to keep his hair clean under all conditions, meeting all the military's concerns about training and appearance.
The U.S. Army has had policies in place since 1984 which stipulate that soldiers' heads must be shaved and facial hair is not allowed, but Lamba was granted an exemption
The U.S. Army has had policies in place since 1984 which stipulate that soldiers' heads must be shaved and facial hair is not allowed, but Lamba was granted an exemption
Language: Lamba, who went to America to study industrial engineering at New York University, was granted a rare exception because he can speak Indian languages Hindi and Punjabi
'I am proud to be a Sikh, I'm proud to be a U.S. citizen, and proud to be a U.S. Army soldier,' he said
'I am proud to be a Sikh, I'm proud to be a U.S. citizen, and proud to be a U.S. Army soldier,' he said.
The Sikhs were founded as a warrior group meant to fight against injustice and inequality, said Lamba, who trained at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, so adopting Army values was easy for him.
Lamba's battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Hernandez said: 'The Sikhs are warriors in Indian culture. Once our soldiers heard that, they were all for him.
Eager: 'When the bullets begin flying, it doesn't concern anyone what religion you are - I bleed the same colour,' said Lamba
Eager: 'When the bullets begin flying, it doesn't concern anyone what religion you are - I bleed the same colour,' said Lamba
'It's going to be a good thing for our Army and our nation to have Lamba in the service.'
The native of New Delhi, India, was granted the honour of carrying a red-white-and-blue unit colour flag as the 450 new soldiers paraded in a salute before 3,000 friends and family gathered in the stands.
He went to the U.S. to get a master's degree in industrial engineering at New York University, and thought about enlisting and getting his citizenship.
He did some research, and found that the Army's special forces units were allowed to wear beards, so it occurred to him that he might be able to enter the service.
'I thought, why not fight for this country? It doesn't matter that I wasn't born here,' Lamba said.
After enlisting, it took a 10-month Army review before the service granted him a waiver.
Mentor: Dr Kamal Kalsi, a fellow Sikh and emergency room physician now based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, gave Lamba advice about joining the Army
Mentor: Dr Kamal Kalsi, a fellow Sikh and emergency room physician now based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, gave Lamba advice about joining the Army
Lamba got some mentoring in advance of taking his big step, said Captain Kamal Kalsi, a fellow Sikh and emergency room physician now based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, who entered the Army in June.
'We talked a lot before he went in,' said Kalsi, a 34-year-old from Riverdale, New Jersey.
He said he wanted to come to Lamba's graduation to wish him well.
Lamba said he would have liked to be an officer like Kalsi, but since he wasn't a citizen, could not do so.
After his four months of training as a combat medic, Lamba said he hoped one day to apply for officer candidate school.
'I feel I am a soldier. I am not a civilian anymore,' he said. 'If I can do it, anyone can.'
